Mont Blanc First Ascent: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com Get Heavy's Top 5 News Stories Every Day We will never share your email address. Mont Blanc First Ascent: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Published Updated 11:52 am EST, August 8, 2015 6 Comments By Laura Amato 331 (Google) On August 8, 1786, two Frenchmen made history. Michael Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat became the first people to ascend the summit of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and one of the most sought-after climbs in the entire world. Now, 229 years after the pair reached the summit, unofficially sparking modern mountaineering, the accomplishment is being celebrated in the August 8 Google Doodle . Here’s what you need to know: 1. Frenchmen Michael Gabriel Paccard & Jacques Balmat Were the First to Reach the Top in 1786 Nearly 20,000 climbers and tourists climb Mont Blanc annually and the area surrounding the mountain has become a major tourist area for both Italy and France.

(Getty) After hundreds of failed attempts by dozens of aspiring mountaineers, Frenchmen Michael Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat made history when they became the first people to reach the summit of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. The mountain rises 15,711 feet above sea level and is ranked No. 11 in the world in topographic prominence. The pair, who lived in the town at the base of the mountain in Chamonix, ascended the summit on August 8, 1786 , climbing the mountain from the Chamonix valley. The accomplishment was, and still is, considered historic and a watershed moment in mountaineering. Eric Shipton, a British Himalayan mountaineer, described the feat, writing in his book Mountain Conquest : Theirs was an astounding achievement of courage and determination, one of the greatest in the annals of mountaineering. It was accomplished by men who were not only on unexplored ground but on a route that all the guides believed to be impossible. Now, the summit is ascended by an averaged of nearly 20,000 mountaineers and tourists every year.

Since the early 21st century, administration of the mountain is shared between the towns of Courmayeur, in Italy, and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, in France. Click here to read more 2. Horace Bénédict de Saussure Had Offered a Financial Reward to Anyone Who Could Complete the Ascent In 2011, construction began on “Refuge du Goûter” at the Dôme du Goûter on the way to the summit of Mont Blanc. The site is a breaking point for climbers moving up the mountain. (Getty) In 1760, the Swiss aristocrat and physicist , considered by many to be the founder of alpinism, first visited Chamonix, offering a reward to the first man who could reach the summit of Mont Blanc. He had previously tried to scale the mountain himself, approaching on the Italian side, making two unsuccessful attempts between 1774 and 1785.

— Heathercowper (@Heathercowper) September 7, 2013 Saussure is featured as part of a large bronze statue (above), erected in 1887, with Balmat in Chamonix’s main square, prominently leaving Paccard out. The reason? The original ascent of Mont Blanc was grossly misreported immediately after it occurred after Marc-Theodore Bourrit, another Alpine traveler who had failed to find a route to the summit, downgraded the role Paccard played in the historic feat. 3. Paccard Later Married Balmat’s Sister Paccard and Balmat are frequently credited with sparking modern mountaineering techniques after their successful ascent of Mont Blanc. (Getty) Although their names are forever connected in the history books, Paccard and Balmat were joined away from the mountain and the texts when Paccard married his climbing partner’s sister. Following their daring exploits on the mountain, the pair both settled into career paths that only occasionally included death-defying actions. Paccard, who practiced medicine prior to the Mont Blanc ascent, returned to his medical practice and also focused on an interest in botany and minerals.

Balmat, after collecting the reward money that Horace-Bénédict de Saussure had originally offered, returned to the mountain with his benefactor guiding the Swiss aristocrat on his own climb in 1787. He also published his own account of his climbs, Jacques Balmat or The First Ascent of Mont Blanc: A True Story , but was criticized for romanticizing the tales. Balmat died in 1834 when he fell off a cliff prospecting for gold in the Sixt valley. Click here to read more 4. Marie Paradis Was the First Woman to Reach the Summit After her own successful climb, Paradis made it her mission to help other explorers who ventured up the mountain in the coming years, even leaving refreshments for them when they returned to the ground. (Getty) Paradis, a former maidservant, etched her own name in the history books in 1808 when she became the first woman to climb Mont Blanc, joined by guide Jacques Balmat.

It was not an easy ascent for Paradis who was in such poor condition by the time the climbing party reached the summit that she actually had difficulty speaking and, reportedly, could not see the view from the peak. Still, Paradis looked every part the mountaineer in a self-designed outfit that weighed just over 14 pounds. In 1809 she recorded her experience on the mountain in a “graphic and picturesque” account in Le Bland . After her daring exploits, Paradis was known as “Maria de Mont Blanc” and was heavily featured in Mark Twain’s novel A Tramp Abroad. 5. Mont Blanc Is Still Considered One of the Most Dangerous Climbs in the Alps Mont Blanc is the tallest mountain in Europe but many climbers do not consider it, from a technical standpoint, the most difficult peak to climb. Some climbing companies even call the ascent a “long walk” and tout its ease of access for relatively in-experienced mountaineers. Still, Mont Blanc is one of the most dangerous peaks in the entire world. In 2012, 11 people died in two separate incidents, just days apart, and, according to The Atlantic , there are over 100 hiker fatalities each year.

In other words, more people have perished in the Mont Blanc range than in any decade of climbing in the Alaskan mountain ranges. Why? What’s different? The biggest problem, it seems, is that Mont Blanc is too popular for its own good. Aidan Loehr, an American climbing guide explained it: That ‘production line’ mentality tends to permeate to everyone else around those people. One person makes a bad decision and everyone else assumes it must be safe and follows. With Mont Blanc, there’s also the fact that so many thousands of people have managed to climb it that it kind of dumbs down the challenge, in many people’s minds. But the truth is, it’s a really big mountain, and most of the people who climb it don’t even know or understand what the dangers are. In that same report by The Atlantic, the magazine counted 28 climbers caught in a July 12, 2012 avalanche and suggests that at any given time there are dozens of people on the mountain. That is an astounding number for any mountain and the toll those humans, and their feet, take on the environment of the peak opens them up to disaster.

Mont Blanc - Highest Mountain in Western Europe Elevation: 15,782 feet (4,810 meters) Prominence: 15,407 feet (4,696 meters) Location: Border of France and Italy in the Alps. Coordinates: 45.832609 N / 6.865193 E First Ascent: First ascent by Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard on August 8, 1786. The White Mountain Mont Blanc (French) and Monte Bianco (Italian) means “White Mountain” for its perpetual snowfields and glaciers. The great dome-shaped mountain is flanked by white glaciers , great granite faces , and gorgeous alpine scenery. Highest Mountain in Western Europe Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and in western Europe. The highest mountain in Europe is considered by most geographers to be 18,510-foot (5,642-meter) Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia near the border with the country of Georgia . Some consider it, however, to be in Asia rather than Europe. Where is the Border between Italy and France?

Mont Blanc's summit is in France, while its subsidiary lower summit Monte Bianco di Courmayeur is considered to be Italy's highest point . continue reading below our video How to Throw a Perfect Curve Ball in Baseball Both French and Swiss maps show the Italy-France boundary crossing this point, whereas the Italians consider the boundary on the summit of Mont Blanc. According to two treaties between France and Spain in 1796 and 1860, the boundary crosses the summit. The 1796 treaty ambiguously states that the border is "on the highest ridge of the mountain as seen by Courmayeur." The 1860 treaty says that the border is "on the highest point of the mountain, at 4807 meters." French mapmakers, however, have continued to place the border on Monte Bianco di Courmayeur. Height Varies Every Year The height of Mont Blanc varies from year to year depending on the depth of the summit’s snow cap, so no permanent elevation can be assigned to the mountain.

The official elevation was once 15,770 feet (4,807 meters), but in 2002 it was resurveyed with modern technology at 15,782 feet (4,810 meters) or twelve feet higher. A 2005 survey measured it at 15,776 feet 9 inches (4,808.75 meters). Mont Blanc is the 11th most prominent mountain in the world. Mont Blanc's Summit is Thick Ice Mont Blanc’s rock summit, under snow and ice, is 15,720 feet (4,792 meters) and about 140 feet away from the snowcapped summit. 1860 Climbing Attempt In 1860 Horace Benedict de Saussure, a 20-year-old Swiss man, walked from Geneva to Chamonix and on July 24 attempted Mont Blanc, reaching the Brévent area. After failing, he believed that the peak was a "summit to climb" and promised a "very considerable reward" to anyone who successfully ascended the great mountain.

1786: First Recorded Climb The first recorded climb of Mont Blanc was by Jacque Balmat, a crystal hunter, and Michel Paccard, a Chamonix doctor, on August 8, 1786. Climbing historians often consider this ascent the beginning of modern mountaineering . The pair climbed the Rocher Rouge to the mountain's northeast slopes, and climbed Saussure's reward, although Paccard gave his share to Balmat. A year later Saussure also climbed Mont Blanc. 1808: First Woman up Mont Blanc In 1808 Marie Paradis became the first woman to reach the summit on Mont Blanc. How Many Climbers Reach the Top? Over 20,000 climbers reach Mont Blanc’s summit every year. Most Popular Climbing Route on Mont Blanc The Voie des Cristalliers or Voie Royale is the most popular climbing route up Mont Blanc. To start, climbers take the Tramway du Mont Blanc to the Nid d’Aigle, then climb slopes to Goûter hut and spend the night. The next day they climb the Dôme du Goûter to L'arrête des Bosses and the summit.

The route is somewhat perilous with danger from rockfall and avalanche . It is also very crowded in summer, particularly the summit ridge. Speed Ascents of Mont Blanc In 1990, Swiss climber Pierre-André Gobet climbed Mont Blanc round-trip from Chamonix in 5 hours, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds. On July 11, 2013, Basque speed climber and runner Kilian Jornet made a quick ascent and descent on Mont Blanc in only 4 hours 57 minutes 40 seconds. Observatory on Summit A scientific observatory was built atop Mont Blanc in 1892. It was used until 1909 when a crevasse opened under the building and it was abandoned. Lowest Temperature Recorded on Peak In January 1893, the observatory registered Mont Blanc’s lowest recorded temperature— -45.4°F or -43°C. 2 Plane Crashes on Mont Blanc Two Air India planes, while approaching the Geneva airport , crashed on Mont Blanc.

On November 3, 1950, the Malabar Princess plane began its descent to Geneva, but crashed into Rochers de la Tournette (4677 meters) on Mont Blanc, killing 48 passengers and crew. On January 24, 1966, the Kanchenjunga, a Boeing 707, also descending into Geneva, crashed on Mont Blanc’s southwest flank about 1,500 feet below the summit, killing 106 passengers and 11 crew members. Mountain guide Gerard Devoussoux, first on the scene, reported, “Another 15 meters and the plane would have missed the rock. It made a huge crater in the mountain. Everything was completely pulverized. Nothing was identifiable except for a few letters and packets.” Some monkeys, being transported in the cargo hold for medical experiments, survived the crash and were found wandering in the snow. Even today, bits of wire and metal from the planes are disgorged from Bossons Glacier below the wreckage sites. 1960: Plane Lands on Summit In 1960, Henri Giraud landed an airplane on the 100-foot-long summit.

Portable Toilets on Mountain In 2007, two portable toilets were carried by helicopter and placed at 14,000 feet (4,260 meters) below Mont Blanc’s summit to serve climbers and skiers and keep human waste from polluting the mountain’s lower slopes. Jacuzzi Party on Summit On September 13, 2007 a Jacuzzi party was thrown atop Mont Blanc. The portable hot tub was carried by 20 people to the summit. Each person carried 45 pounds of custom-made equipment made to function in cold air and high altitude . Paragliders Land on Summit Seven French paragliders landed on Mont Blanc’s summit on August 13, 2003. The pilots, soaring on hot summer air currents, reached heights of 17,000 feet before landing. The Mont Blanc Tunnel The 11.6-kilometer-long (7.25-mile) Mont Blanc Tunnel travels beneath Mont Blanc, linking France and Italy. It was built between 1957 and 1965.

Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley Inspired by Mont Blanc The famed British romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) visited Chamonix in July 1816 and was inspired by the great mountain looming above the town to write his meditative poem Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni. Calling the snowy peak “remote, serene, and inaccessible,” he ends the poem: “And what were thou, and earth, and stars, and sea, if to the human mind's imaginings Silence and solitude were vacancy?” THE FRENCH CELEBRATE A SUMMIT OF THEIR OWN - NYTimes.com THE FRENCH CELEBRATE A SUMMIT OF THEIR OWN By RICHARD BERNSTEIN, Special to the New York Times Published: August 10, 1986 PARIS, Aug. 9— The French are marking the 200th anniversary this weekend of the first successful ascent of the ''monarch of mountains,'' as Lord Byron called Mont Blanc, the highest and most celebrated peak in Europe. The festivities commemorate a great human exploit.

They are also a reminder that the shimmering, 15,771-foot peak is also a mountain of death. In the last week, 12 people have died in accidents, as avid mountain climbers have assaulted the peak in record numbers; 33 climbers have been injured, 12 of them seriously. The death toll, however, did not stop the commemoration of the day in 1786 when a doctor from Chamonix, Michel Gabriel Paccard, and his guide, Jacques Balmat, became the first human beings to reach the summit. First Ascent Re-enacted In homage, two French mountaineers re-enacted that first ascent. They left Friday from Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, dressed in the costumes of the 18th century - floppy, wide-brimmed black hats, frilled collars and black neckties, brown jackets and goatskin leggings. They climbed slowly up the face of the mountain in the afternoon, camping on the way at night, and resumed the ascent at 4 A.M., using only long walking sticks, hobnailed boots, haversacks and a barometer.

They walked up glaciers and through snow fields, using long poles to bridge the many deep crevices in the ice, as television crews followed closely behind. They arrived at the summit at about 6:30 tonight, to be received by brisk, cold winds and interviewers from French television. Every hotel room in the region was occupied, and it was estimated that 200,000 people were on hand. Up to 200 a Day Try the Climb Every year, at least 2,000 people set off to climb to the Mont Blanc summit, with roughly 300 of them reaching it, though this year the number of climbers trying the climb has often been as high as 200 a day. So far this year, 24 people have died in climbing accidents. Every day, the 40-member Mont Blanc police force rescues about 10 people who have fallen or been stranded. In all, since the climbs began, some 6,000 to 8,000 people have been killed, with an average of 40 to 50 dying each year in recent times.

Mont Blanc is dangerous for many reasons, including high winds, sudden fogs and rapid changes of weather. This season has been a particularly treacherous one, with unusually warm weather on the mountain's upper reaches melting parts of the deep, permanent ice and thus creating crevices, often hidden by snowfalls, and releasing avalanches of rock. Instigated by Naturalist The first successful assault on the mountain was instigated by an aristocratic 18th-century Swiss naturalist named Horace Benedict de Saussure, who spent a lifetime climbing the Alps. Benedict de Saussure tried repeatedly to find a path up the mountain. Among the major questions of the time was whether human beings could survive at the altitude of the summit. In 1760, he told the churches of Mont Blanc that he would pay a reward to the first person who reached the summit, leading to several failed attempts during the next 16 years, until, finally, Paccard and Balmat succeeded. In June 1786, Balmat, a 24-year-old crystal carver and dealer in animal skins from Chamonix, got lost, miraculously staying alive during the night by clapping his hands and feet.

He also discovered a path leading to the summit. Two months later, on Aug. 7, he and Dr. Paccard, left Chamonix separately. They rejoined each other on the mountain, spending 34 minutes on the summit, where their conquest was witnessed by a German explorer, Baron Adolf Traugott von Gersdorf, who watched them through a telescope. About: Jacques Balmat About: Jacques Balmat An Entity of Type : person , from Named Graph : , within Data Space : dbpedia.org Jacques Balmat, called le Mont Blanc (1762–1834) was a mountaineer, a Savoyard mountain guide, born in the Chamonix valley of the Savoy region, at this time part of the Duchy of Savoy.A chamois hunter and collector of crystals, Balmat completed the first ascent of Mont Blanc with physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard on 8 August 1786. For this feat, King Victor Amadeus III gave him the honorary title le Mont Blanc.Shipton describes Balmat as "boastful and conceited" and that "in character, he was both vain and mean.

Success went to his head, and he soon began to amplify his part in the exploit." Property abstract Jacques Balmat, dit Balmat du Mont-Blanc ou Mont Blanc, né en 1762 dans la vallée de Chamonix dans le village des Pélerins et mort en septembre 1834 dans la vallée de Sixt, était un chasseur de chamois, cristallier et guide qui réussit la première ascension du mont Blanc (4 809 mètres) en compagnie du Docteur Paccard, le à 18 h 23. (fr) Jacques Balmat (* 1762 in Chamonix; † 1834 in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval) war ein savoyardischer Gamsjäger, Kristallsucher, Bergsteiger und schließlich Bergführer. Balmat bestieg zusammen mit dem Arzt Michel-Gabriel Paccard am 8. August 1786 als Erster den Mont Blanc.

Diese Besteigung des höchsten Gipfels der Alpen und somit Europas außerhalb des Kaukasus (an der Grenze zu Asien) erfolgte auf Anregung des Genfer Forschers Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, dem Balmat schließlich den Weg auf den Berg wies und zwei mal hinaufführte. Auch weitere Personen nahmen darauf seine Bergführerdienste in Anspruch, was einen entscheidenden Schritt im Beginn des Alpinismus darstellte. (de) Jacques Balmat (apodado como Mont Blanc, Valle de Chamonix, 1762 - Valle de Sixt, 1834) fue un cazador de rebecos, cristaleralista (cristallier) y primer guía de montaña que ascendió con éxito el Mont Blanc (4807 metros) en compañía de Michel Paccard, el 8 de agosto de 1786 a las 18:23 h.

(es) Jacques Balmat, called le Mont Blanc (1762–1834) was a mountaineer, a Savoyard mountain guide, born in the Chamonix valley of the Savoy region, at this time part of the Duchy of Savoy. A chamois hunter and collector of crystals, Balmat completed the first ascent of Mont Blanc with physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard on 8 August 1786. For this feat, King Victor Amadeus III gave him the honorary title le Mont Blanc. Balmat and Paccard's ascent of Mont Blanc was a major accomplishment in the early history of mountaineering. C. Douglas Milner wrote "The ascent itself was magnificent; an amazing feat of endurance and sustained courage, carried through by these two men only, unroped and without ice axes, heavily burdened with scientific equipment and with long iron-pointed batons. The fortunate weather and a moon alone ensured their return alive." Eric Shipton wrote "Theirs was an astounding achievement of courage and determination, one of the greatest in the annals of mountaineering.

It was accomplished by men who were not only on unexplored ground but on a route that all the guides believed to be impossible." Gaston Rébuffat praised Balmat's climbing abilities, describing him as "This man, robust, resolute, this crystal hunter who, as it turns out, possesses an extraordinary mountaineering sense, an unerring instinct for the crevasses and seracs of the glaciers ..." After the successful ascent, Balmat collected the reward offered 25 years before by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure to the first man who could climb Mont Blanc. On 3 August 1787 he assisted de Saussure himself to reach the summit with a party of about 17 people. During the Napoleonic Wars, Savoy fell under French control, and Citizen Jacques Balmat became a member of the council of the commune. He led an unsuccessful attempt to introduce Merino sheep into the Chamonix valley. Balmat was criticized for his autobiographical account of the climb, later published in English as Jacques Balmat or The First Ascent of Mont Blanc: A True Story, since his account downplayed the role of Dr. Paccard.

Milner describes Balmat's story as "cloudily romantic and largely fictional" and quotes four analysts of mountaineering history who discovered errors in Balmat's version of events. Shipton describes Balmat as "boastful and conceited" and that "in character, he was both vain and mean. Success went to his head, and he soon began to amplify his part in the exploit." Balmat died by falling off of a cliff while prospecting for gold in the Sixt valley in 1834. (en) Jacques Balmat (ur. w 1762 r. w Chamonix, zm. w 1834 r. w Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, dziś w departamencie Hautes-Alpes) - góral z doliny Chamonix, jeden z pierwszych zdobywców Mont Blanc. (pl) Jacques Balmat, in Franse teksten later met de hem toegekende erenaam dit Mont Blanc (geb.

1762 in of nabij Chamonix - overleden 1834 in het dal van de Sixt), was een Savoiaanse jager en kristallenzoeker, die bekend is geworden als de eerste beklimmer van de Mont Blanc, de hoogste berg van de Alpen (4807 m), samen met dokter Paccard. Op 8 augustus 1786 bereikten zij de besneeuwde top, via de grote Les Bossons-gletsjer aan de Chamonixse zijde van de berg, die op de huidige grens ligt van Frankrijk en Italië, en vervolgens keerden zij heelhuids terug om over hun stoutmoedig avontuur te verhalen. Vaak is deze eerste beklimming van de Mont Blanc aangeduid als het begin van de bergsport. In de jaren hierna werden ook andere hoge toppen elders in de Alpen voor het eerst bedwongen.

Daarbij werd duidelijk dat tochten in het hooggebergte weliswaar gevaren met zich meebrachten, maar dat er op grote hoogten géén "kwade geesten" rondwaarden, zoals eeuwenlang in sagen en legenden was verkondigd en zoals het hardnekkig bijgeloof van de plaatselijke bevolking in de dalen had geluid. Eén van de namen voor de Mont Blanc was dan ook Mont Maudit(e) geweest, de vervloekte of verdoemde berg (thans nog in gebruik als de officiële naam voor een neventop in het massief). Het trotseren en weerleggen van dit bijgeloof was ook kenmerkend voor de periode van de Verlichting aan de vooravond van de Franse Revolutie.

(nl) Jacques Balmat, chamado o Mont Blanc (Vale de Chamonix, 1762 — Vale de Sixt, 1834) foi um guia de montanha da região de Chamonix e o primeiro Chamoniards (naturais de Chamonix) a conseguir vencer o Monte Branco e os seus 4807 metros de altitude. (pt) Жак Бальма (1762—1834) — савойский горный проводник и человек, считающийся одним из первых альпинистов в мире.Родился в Шамони, на тот момент части Савойского герцогства. По роду занятий был охотником на серн и собирателем кристаллов.

8 августа 1786 года вместе с врачом Мишелем-Габриэлем Паккардом совершил первое в истории восхождение на гору Монблан, за что был удостоен королём Виктором Амадеем III титула Ле Монблан и получил награду, обещанную за 25 лет до этого Орасом Бенедиктом де Соссюром человеку, который покорит Монблан.

3 августа 1787 года Бальма был проводником Соссюра и его группы из 17 человек в их восхождении на высочайшую гору в Западной Европе.Во время Наполеоновских войн, когда Савойя стала частью Франции, Бальма стал членом Совета коммуны и предпринял неудачную попытку начать разводить в родной долине Шамони овец-мериносов.Написал книгу о своём восхождении на Монблан, которая поздними критиками была оценена негативно ввиду найденного в ней большого количества неточностей и преувеличений. Умер в 1834 году в Сикст-Фер-а-Шеваль, сорвавшись со скалы в процессе поисков золота.

(ru) Sixt Valley, Duchy of Savoy (en) comment Jacques Balmat (apodado como Mont Blanc, Valle de Chamonix, 1762 - Valle de Sixt, 1834) fue un cazador de rebecos, cristaleralista (cristallier) y primer guía de montaña que ascendió con éxito el Mont Blanc (4807 metros) en compañía de Michel Paccard, el 8 de agosto de 1786 a las 18:23 h. (es) Jacques Balmat (ur. w 1762 r. w Chamonix, zm. w 1834 r. w Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, dziś w departamencie Hautes-Alpes) - góral z doliny Chamonix, jeden z pierwszych zdobywców Mont Blanc.

(pl) Jacques Balmat, called le Mont Blanc (1762–1834) was a mountaineer, a Savoyard mountain guide, born in the Chamonix valley of the Savoy region, at this time part of the Duchy of Savoy.A chamois hunter and collector of crystals, Balmat completed the first ascent of Mont Blanc with physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard on 8 August 1786. For this feat, King Victor Amadeus III gave him the honorary title le Mont Blanc.Shipton describes Balmat as "boastful and conceited" and that "in character, he was both vain and mean. Success went to his head, and he soon began to amplify his part in the exploit." (en) Jacques Balmat (* 1762 in Chamonix; † 1834 in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval) war ein savoyardischer Gamsjäger, Kristallsucher, Bergsteiger und schließlich Bergführer.Balmat bestieg zusammen mit dem Arzt Michel-Gabriel Paccard am 8.

August 1786 als Erster den Mont Blanc. Diese Besteigung des höchsten Gipfels der Alpen und somit Europas außerhalb des Kaukasus (an der Grenze zu Asien) erfolgte auf Anregung des Genfer Forschers Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, dem Balmat schließlich den Weg auf den Berg wies und zwei mal hinaufführte. Auch weitere Personen nahmen darauf seine Bergführerdienste in Anspruch, was einen entscheidenden Schritt im Beginn des Alpinismus darstellte. (de) Jacques Balmat, dit Balmat du Mont-Blanc ou Mont Blanc, né en 1762 dans la vallée de Chamonix dans le village des Pélerins et mort en septembre 1834 dans la vallée de Sixt, était un chasseur de chamois, cristallier et guide qui réussit la première ascension du mont Blanc (4 809 mètres) en compagnie du Docteur Paccard, le à 18 h 23.

(fr) Jacques Balmat, in Franse teksten later met de hem toegekende erenaam dit Mont Blanc (geb. 1762 in of nabij Chamonix - overleden 1834 in het dal van de Sixt), was een Savoiaanse jager en kristallenzoeker, die bekend is geworden als de eerste beklimmer van de Mont Blanc, de hoogste berg van de Alpen (4807 m), samen met dokter Paccard. Op 8 augustus 1786 bereikten zij de besneeuwde top, via de grote Les Bossons-gletsjer aan de Chamonixse zijde van de berg, die op de huidige grens ligt van Frankrijk en Italië, en vervolgens keerden zij heelhuids terug om over hun stoutmoedig avontuur te verhalen.

(nl) Jacques Balmat, chamado o Mont Blanc (Vale de Chamonix, 1762 — Vale de Sixt, 1834) foi um guia de montanha da região de Chamonix e o primeiro Chamoniards (naturais de Chamonix) a conseguir vencer o Monte Branco e os seus 4807 metros de altitude. (pt) Жак Бальма (1762—1834) — савойский горный проводник и человек, считающийся одним из первых альпинистов в мире.Родился в Шамони, на тот момент части Савойского герцогства. По роду занятий был охотником на серн и собирателем кристаллов. (ru) mountain climbing | Little Bits of History Little Bits of History Posted in History by patriciahysell on July 30, 2014 Grand Combin routes July 30, 1859: Grand Combin is conquered.

The 14,154 foot high mountain is part of the Pennine Alps located in Switzerland. It is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and is a large glaciated massif (an uplifted piece of the Earth’s crust) which has several summits – three of them over 4000 meters (13,000 feet). The first to make an attempt to climb was Gottlieb Studer of Berne who reached the Combin de Corbassiere with the help of guild Joseph-Benjamin Felley on August 14, 1851. More attempts were made and the first four parties reached only minor summits. The first complete ascent was made on this date by Charles Sainte-Claire Deville with Daniel, Emmanuel and Gaspard Balleys, and Basile Dorsaz. Many ancient cultures created superstitious stories around mountains, giving them sacred places in their societies. Because they were closer to the sky, it was assumed this was where the gods might live. An example would be Mount Olympus. During the Enlightenment, scientific curiosity overtook religious reverence and mountains were climbed in order to learn more about the world we all inhabit.

In 1741, Richard Pococke and William Windham visited Chamonix where several peaks are now tourist attractions with cable cars ascending to the peaks at 12,605 feet for Aiguille du Midi and Pointe Helbronner at 11,358 feet. In 1760, Swiss scientist Horace Saussure offered a reward to the first person to ascend Mont Blanc in France. It took 22 years before someone claimed the prize. In the early 1800s many of the alpine peaks were conquered by scientists seeking more information. The shift changed from scientific endeavors to sporting triumphs by mid-century. Sir Alfred Wills ascended Wetterhorn in 1854 and made mountaineering fashionable, especially to the British. The Golden Age of alpinism began with the formation of the Alpine Club in 1857. Many prominent people began climbing mountains for fun, although some also carried out scientific experiments. The sport became more competitive and greater challenges were sought out. The first ascent of the Matterhorn was done in 1865 with Edward Whymper leading the party.

Four of their party fell to their deaths which was the death knell to the golden age. The focus shifted from the Alps to other European mountain ranges and eventually to other continents as well. Climbing the peaks in the US led to climbing South American mountains when Whymper once again scaled a mountain in the Andes, Chimborazo (20,564 feet). By the end of the 1800s most of the highest peaks in the Americas had been scaled. The last frontier loomed in central Asia. The Himalayas are a range of high peaks, which simply begged to be climbed. It took years before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tanzing Norgay finally reached the top of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. Enthusiasts continue to find the thrill of ascent, the conquering of the top of the world, to be an worthwhile pursuit. Today, there is a body of professional guides, equipment, and fixed guidelines to be followed. It remains one of the most dangerous activities in the world. Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.

– John Muir It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. – Edmund Hillary You don’t climb mountains without a team, you don’t climb mountains without being fit, you don’t climb mountains without being prepared and you don’t climb mountains without balancing the risks and rewards. And you never climb a mountain on accident – it has to be intentional. – Mark Udall Highest of heights, I climb this mountain and feel one with the rock and grit and solitude echoing back at me. – Bradley Chicho Also on this day: Where Did He Go? – In 1975, Jimmy Hoffa disappears. Follow the Money – In 2002, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law. Exterminated – In 2003, the last old style Volkswagen Beetle rolls off the assembly line. House of Burgesses – In 1619, the legislative body first convened. Posted in History by patriciahysell on August 8, 2012 Map of approaches to the summit of Mont Blanc August 8, 1786: Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard are the first to climb Mont Blanc.

The mountain lies on the border between France and Italy. Mont Blanc is the French name and Monte Bianco is the Italian name for the peak. Both names mean “White Mountain” and it is the highest point in the Alps. This distinction also means the 15,774 foot high mountain is the highest point in Western Europe and the European Union. It is the 11th highest peak in the world. The highest peak in the world is Mount Everest which wasn’t successfully scaled until 1953. There are two styles of mountaineering – Expedition Climbing and Alpine Climbing. The latter is named for the Alps and is consistent with climbs taken in medium-sized glaciated mountains such as the Alps or Rocky Mountains. While loosely based on the altitude of the climb, it also refers to the terrain of the ascent as well as the time it takes. Alpine climbs usually are “light and fast” and the goal is to reach the summit in a single push. Jacques Balmat was a Savoyard mountain guide born in the Kingdom of Sardinia. He was from the Chamonix valley in what is France today and collected crystals and hunted chamois, a goat-antelope species of the region.

Twenty-five years earlier, Horace-Benedict de Saussure offered a reward to the first man to climb Mont Blanc. Balmat collected the reward, the next year he took Saussure and 17 others to the peak. Michel-Gabriel Paccard was a doctor and scientist. He wanted to reach the top of the mountain for scientific purposes. He made several attempts prior to his success on this date. Their trip was made without what we today would consider necessary equipment – like ropes and ice axes. They did bring along scientific instruments. Paccard made it to the peak and managed to take the measurements he sought. This man, robust, resolute, this crystal hunter who, as it turns out, possesses an extraordinary mountaineering sense, an unerring instinct for the crevasses and seracs of the glaciers … Gaston Rebuffat on Balmat’s climbing abilities Theirs was an astounding achievement of courage and determination, one of the greatest in the annals of mountaineering. It was accomplished by men who were not only on unexplored ground but on a route that all the guides believed to be impossible.

– Eric Shipton The ascent itself was magnificent; an amazing feat of endurance and sustained courage, carried through by these two men only, unroped and without ice axes, heavily burdened with scientific equipment and with long iron-pointed batons. The fortunate weather and a moon alone ensured their return alive. – C. Douglas Milner Like Saussure a devotee of the natural sciences, he has a dream: to carry a barometer to the summit and take a reading there. An excellent mountaineer, he has already made several attempts. – Gaston Rebuffet on Paccard prior to this day Also on this day: mountain climbing facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about mountain climbing The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright The Columbia University Press mountain climbing, the practice of climbing to elevated points for sport, pleasure, or research. Also called mountaineering, it is practiced throughout the world. Types There are three types of mountain climbing. In the easiest, trail climbing, participants merely hike along trails to the top of a particular mountain. The trails generally are not very steep, and the mountains are relatively small. Rock climbing takes place on steeper slopes and larger mountains.

Participants generally have to ascend on hands and feet, employing special equipment that may include thick rubber-soled boots or other special shoes, rope, and steel spikes, known as pitons, that are driven into the rock as an aid to climbing. Ice climbing is generally required only on extremely high mountains whose peaks are above the timber line. Equipment used in ice climbing includes the ice axe and attachable boot spikes, known as crampons, that are used on hard ice or snow. Famous Ascents Almost all the famous ascents have involved rock and ice climbing. The first significant achievements in mountain climbing were the ascents of Mont Blanc made by Jacques Balmat and Michel G. Paccard (1786) and by Horace B. de Saussure (1787). The ascent of other Alpine peaks, including the Ortles (1804), Jungfrau (1811), Finsteraarhorn (1812), and Mont Pelvou (1848) soon followed, and much useful information was gathered by geologists and topographers. Modern mountain climbing may be dated from the ascent of Switzerland's Wetterhorn (1854).

This feat was followed by a decade in which the popularity of mountain climbing grew tremendously, sparking the founding (1858) of the Alpine Club, in London, and the launching (1863) of its publication, the Alpine Journal. An elite class of professional guides soon established itself, and techniques for snow, ice, and rock climbing were developed to the point where highly hazardous ascents were possible for the experienced. This so-called golden age of mountain climbing came to an end with the conquest of the Matterhorn, the last of the great Alpine mountains, by Edward Whymper (1865). As the Alps became familiar, climbers ventured to other mountainous areas. The English Lake District, Wales, and the Scottish Highlands offered climbing challenges of all degrees of difficulty. William C. Slingsby led the way to the Norwegian mountains; Douglas W. Freshfield was one of the pioneer climbers in the Caucasus, soon followed by Albert F. Mummery. In Africa, Kilimanjaro (1889) and Mt. Kenya (1899) were climbed; the duke of the Abruzzi explored the Ruwenzori group in 1906.

In the United States, Grand Teton in the Teton Range was climbed in 1872. In the 1860s and 70s Clarence King and John Muir ranged through the Sierra Nevada. In Alaska, Mt. St. Elias was climbed by the duke of the Abruzzi in 1897; Mt. Blackburn and Mt. McKinley were ascended in 1912 and 1913, respectively. In South America, Whymper climbed Chimborazo (1880) and Aconcagua and Tupungato (both: 1897). Gongga (Minya Konka), in China, was climbed in 1932. The most challenging of all have proved to be the mountain systems of the Himalayas. Conway of Allington explored the Karakorum range in 1892; in 1895 J. Norman Collie, C. G. Bruce, Geoffrey Hastings, and Albert Mummery attempted Nanga Parbat, but the effort was given up after Mummery's disappearance on the mountain's western face.

It was not until 58 years later that Nanga Parbat was climbed by Herman Buhl. In 1950, Maurice Herzog scaled Annapurna. The three towering giants—Mt. Everest, K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen), and Mt. Kanchenjunga—were conquered in the 1950s: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to ascend Everest, the world's tallest mountain, in 1953; an Italian team led by Ardito Desio climbed K2 in 1954; and in 1955 a British expedition led by Charles Evans surmounted Kanchenjunga. With the Chinese claim of an ascent of Gosainthan in 1964, the world's ten tallest mountains, all in the Himalayas, were finally conquered. Two other notable events in mountaineering were the scaling (1961) of the south face of Mt. McKinley and the winter ascent (1961) of the north wall of the Eiger in the Alps.

Mountain Climbing Clubs Many mountain climbing clubs have been formed, notably the Schweizer Alpen Club, Club Alpino Italiano, Club Alpin Français, the Himalayan Club, the Alpine Club (London), the Alpine Club of Canada, and the American Alpine Club. Most of these render valuable service by building and maintaining shelter huts and providing information concerning topography, routes, and mountain craft. Bibliography There is a rich and extensive literature of mountain climbing. See E. Whymper, Scrambles amongst the Alps (1871, 6th ed. 1936, repr. 1966); D. W. Freshfield, The Exploration of the Caucasus (2d ed. 1902); H. W. Tilman, The Ascent of Nanda Devi (1937) and Mount Everest, 1938 (1948); H. E. G. Tyndale, Mountain Paths (1949); W. R. Irwin, ed., Challenge: An Anthology of the Literature of Mountaineering (1950); Sir Arnold H. M.

Lunn, A Century of Mountaineering, 1857–1957 (1958); J. Bernstein, Ascent (1965); S. Styles, Foundations of Climbing (1966) and On Top of the World (1967); A. J. Huxley, ed., Standard Encyclopedia of the World's Mountains (1969); F. Fleming, Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps (2000); M. Isserman and S. Weaver, Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering (2008). Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA COPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. MOUNTAIN CLIMBING MOUNTAIN CLIMBING, or mountaineering, the practice of ascending to elevated points or peaks, is historically a quest for the challenges of new routes and peaks. Most often a group sport, mountain climbing requires teamwork and skill. Mountain climbing can be divided into three types with varying degrees of difficulty. Trail climbing or hiking is the least difficult type.

More commonly associated with mountaineering are the more difficult practices of rock climbing and ice climbing. Although some rock climbers engage in the more dangerous form of free climbing, most use equipment that may include special shoes, ropes, and steel spikes (pitons) that are driven into the rock to assist the climber. Ice climbing, performed on the highest peaks, uses an ice axe and attachable boot spikes (crampons). Early attempts to ascend mountain peaks were motivated by scientific, geographic, or spiritual quests, but mountain climbing evolved into a sport by the mid-eighteenth century. By that time, techniques for snow, ice, and rock climbing had developed, and an elite class of professional guides had become established. The Swiss Alps were especially popular with early climbers, but with the successful scaling of the Matterhorn in 1865, climbers began to seek other peaks, turning to the more distant Andes, Caucasus, North American Rockies, African peaks, and finally the Himalayas. In 1852, Mount Everest was determined the world's highest peak, but climbers did not successfully summit Everest until 1953, when the New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the top.

The first American to ascend Everest was James Whittaker in 1963. Mountain climbing became popular in the United States after World War II. American interest in wilderness exploration can be traced to the early eighteenth century. By the nineteenth century, new ideologies about nature, promoted especially by educated, upper-class East Coast nature lovers and bird watchers, began to develop. They extolled the virtues of wild areas as places to reflect and rejuvenate. This ideology was born of the intrinsic values and scientific curiosities of such places and a reaction to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Nature lovers celebrated the idea of the "noble savage" much as European Enlightenment thinkers had a century earlier. During the Progressive Era, a "cult of wilderness" emerged, spearheaded by Theodore Roosevelt, that extolled the virtues of rigorous outdoor sports. The Sierra range was explored in the 1860s and 1870s, especially by the naturalist John Muir. Grand Teton, the highest peak in the Teton Range, was climbed in 1872.

In Alaska, Mount Saint Elias was climbed in 1897, and Mount Blackburn and Mount McKinley were ascended in 1912 and 1913, respectively. Between 1947 and 1970 advancements in technology, skill, and climbing routes made the sport accessible to greater numbers of people. By the end of the twentieth century, novice climbers, relying on equipment, technology, and guides rather than individual abilities, attempted dangerous peaks. The results were dramatic losses of life, such as the deaths of clients and experienced guides on Mount Everest in 1996. BIBLIOGRAPHY Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. New York: Villard, 1997. Nash, Roderick. Wilderness and the American Mind. 3d ed. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1982. Reuther, David, and John Thorn, eds. The Armchair Mountaineer. New York: Scribner's, 1984.

DeirdreSheets Climb Mont Blanc – Norreslet Mountaineering, Skiing and Mountain biking click here Our summer programs Thousands of climbers attempt the summit of Mont Blanc every summer. Join our great summer trips and rest assured that you are in good hands when we go towards the summit. Mont Blanc 6 day program Our 6 day Mont Blanc course has been running for more than 15 years and refined and optimized to display the best program for reaching the summit within a week of adventure. Go to this page for more info - 6 day Mont Blanc programme Private Mont Blanc program We are well aware that the above 6 day program doesn't suit everyones needs, schedule or ambitions. Over the years we have arranged a large number of private trips to the Mont Blanc for individuals and small groups. We can plan for more acclimatisation, training or include harder preparation climbs than the classic 6-day Mont Blanc program includes. Just get in touch with us and we will quote you a trip designed for you. Technical Mont Blanc climbs If you aspire to climb the Mont Blanc by a more technically demanding route we can arrange this for experienced alpinist on a 1-1 ratio.

Depending on the route choice and length of trip we can propose a custom programs. Mont Blanc 24h Fan of big distance running and endurance sports. We are ourselves big fans of endurance sports and are active endurance athletes. We have put a highly flexible program together to make the ascent of Mont Blanc a valley to the top experience extra-ordinaire. While we can provide the technical support as on any other course, there should be left no doubt that to set yourself this challenge you must have done several very hard trail or multi sport trips with intense effort for more than 20h. Climb Mont Blanc during the Winter season....and ski down! Climb Mont Blanc on skis and set off the summit and enjoy 3800m of crazy altitude difference. This could seems a wet dream for most people and does rest so for the most part of man-kind. If you are a good ski tourer and skier this is though possible. Check our two possibilities below. Arete Nord du Gouter We do a couple of days touring and acclimatisation before we head to the Grand Mulets hut. From here we climb to the top of Mont Blanc in a single push of 1800m.

Se this option here: Piton des Italienne We lift with helicopter to around 4000m on the Italien side of Mont Blanc. From here we climb Mont Blanc in about 3-4h and have the possibility to ski straight from the summit. NOTE: SKIING FROM THE TOP OF MONT BLANC IS ONLY POSSIBLE FOR EXPERT SKIERS IN STABLE CONDITIONS. Mont Blanc history Until the middle of the 18th century the mountain surrounding the town of Chamonix was unknown to the surrounding world, and was not even marked on most of the regions mapped material. Those few people who had visited the Chamonix valley could tell tales about an area habited by barbarians as if a primitive civilisation in Afrika was the topic. Many myths about the place was created and legends told about the place and the mountains and their glaciers. The mountains came to be know as the "damned mountains" (Ex. Mont Maudit (Maudit, means damned in French).

First in 1744 when the two English gentlemen Windham and Pococke published their account about their "expedition" to Chamonix in 1741, many of the myths were cleared of the table. Slowly the valley of Chamonix gained interest from the outer world and scientist started to visit the valley to measure the height of the summits and labelling them with names. During the summer of 1760 Chamonix was visited by a young and rich scientist, Horace Benedict Saussure. Saussure was only 20 years old but already by then a recognized scientist. During his visit he promised a price for the first group that found a way to the top of Mont Blanc. He was interested in making experiments high up on the mountain. The following years no big interest was shown for his offer, and their exist no real accounts of attempts towards the summit. As the tourism grew and Chamonix gained interest for those who wished to see the fabled mountains and their glaciers, the local population of herders and crystal hunters saw an opportunity to earn a living guiding people in the mountains and therefor also towards the higher peaks. The bounty on Mont Blanc suddenly became interesting.

From 1775 and the next 10 years there is accounts of several attempts of finding the best route to the summit of Mont Blanc. Often this was pretty big "expeditions", and routes were tried by the Aiguille du Gouter and by the Bossons glacier. In 1786 two separate groups succeeded in gaining what we today know as the Vallot hut in 4300m. They judged the ridge (Today the Bosses ridge) to steep and narrow to climb. Today this is the normal route to the Mont Blanc. The same summer the 8th of August 1786 the first ascent of the Mont Blanc was made by two local frenchmen. Doctor Michel Gabriel Paccard, son of the towns lawyer and the poor peasant and crystal hunter Jacques Balmat. The year after that Paccard and Balmat reached the summit H. Saussure went to the Mont Blanc and made his experiments, that was widely published all over the world. The first ascent the year before suddenly was much less interesting.

There is a lot of good reading and more information about the first ascent of the Mont Blanc on the summit post website (where I have also borrowed some informations from the above text). Source: Where Does Mont Blanc Rise? - WorldAtlas.com Geography Where Does Mont Blanc Rise? Mont Blanc rises to an elevation of 15,777 feet in the Alps along the border between Italy and France. The majestic Mont Blanc, as seen in the twilight. 5. Description Mont Blanc is a world famous Alpine massif, and is considered by some definitions as the highest peak in Europe. The mountain rises to a height of 15,777 feet in the Graian Alps, between the French Haute Savoie and the Italian Aosta Valley. The summit of the mountain itself lies in French territory. The mountain is surrounded by the Chamonix Valley and Savoy Alps to the west, these hosting the French settlements of Chamonix and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, and the Valley of Courmayeur to the east, which is home to the town of Courmayeur. The Pennine Alps are situated to the northeast, and the other ranges of the Graian Alps to Blanc's south.

Mont Blanc is also covered by massive glaciers, which occupy an area of about 100 square kilometers on the mountain. Mer de Glace, the second longest Alpine glacier, is among those located on the Mont Blanc. 4. Historical Role For centuries, the ice-capped Mont Blanc has fascinated millions of global tourists, mountaineers, and naturalists alike with its stunning landscape and ethereal beauty. The epic poem Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni was written by the famous British poet P.B. Shelley, and based on his observations of the beauty and serenity of the mountain. Michel Gabriel Paccard, with his porter Jacques Balmat, were the first to summit Mont Blanc in 1786. In 1808, Marie Paradis became the first woman to summit the mountain. After the French Revolution ended in 1799, there were several disputes over the ownership of this picturesque mountain, with France and Italy finally settling upon sharing the Mont Blanc territory between them. In 1893, an observatory was built on the summit of Mont Blanc under the instructions of the astronomer Pierre Janssen.

However, the lack of a rock foundation at the summit, and the formation of crevasses under the observatory, led to the abandonment of the observatory in 1906. Mont Blanc also bears witness to two fatal air crashes. These were Air India Flight 245 in 1950, killing 47 people, and Air India Flight 101 in 1966, killing 117 people. 3. Modern Significance Mont Blanc is a popular tourist destination in Europe, and one attracting a large number of mountaineers, hikers, skiers, and snowboarders every year. The first Winter Olympics was hosted by Chamonix, the Alpine resort at the base of the Mont Blanc Alpine range, in 1924. Nearly 20,000 climbers summit Mont Blanc every year, and around 100 fatalities involving climbers are reported here annually. An 11.6-kilometer long Mont Blanc Tunnel dug underneath the mountain facilitates transport between Courmayeur, Italy and Chamonix, France.

In 2007, two portable toilets were installed at the summit of the mountain to keep the mountain clean of human waste produced by the large numbers of climbers. 2. Habitat The vegetation pattern in the Mont Blanc region varies with altitude and temperature. Deciduous trees cover the valleys and lower slopes, while coniferous forests grow higher up. These are gradually replaced by Alpine meadows, and finally Alpine deserts, with their perpetual snow and ice cover, occur towards the summit. A large variety of wildflowers grown in the mountain valley and pastures during the spring season. The mountain is also inhabited by a large number of animals, including Mountain hares, small goat-like animals called the chamois, squirrel-like animals called marmots, and the Alpine ibex. Rarely, foxes and lynxes can also be observed on Mont Blanc. Birds like eagles, Bearded vultures, buzzards, and Alpine Choughs might also be spotted here. 1.

Threats and Disputes As per reports from a laboratory in Grenoble, Mont Blanc’s longest glacier, the Mer de Glace, lost 3.61 meters in depth within a year between October of 2014 and October of 2015. This loss was far higher than its average loss of 1 meter per year seen over the last 30 years. Scientists believe this melting of the Mer de Glace signifies the ominous effects of climate change and global warming. Scientists also warn that if climate change is not addressed, all Alpine glaciers below a height of about 3,500 meters will disappear completely by the end of this century. Besides the threat from climate change, heavy tourist footfall in the Monc Blanc region and its valleys has led to high levels of air pollution in the region. Chamonix has one of the highest levels of air pollution in France. Heavy land and air traffic in the region due to the constant tourist movement has laden the air around the Chamonix Valley with dangerous levels of air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and Benzo-(a)-pyrene.

The establishment and growth of ski resorts, hotels, roads, cable cars, and other amenities to encourage tourists in the Mont Blanc region has also put ecological pressures on the mountain's ecosystems, and risked the welfare of its wildlife as a result. This page was last modified on June 6, 2016. On WorldAtlas.com

Question: In 1786, Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard became the first climbers to reach the summit of which European mountain?
Answer: Mont Blanc